Pittsburgh Steelers DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren has been quiet this season but could finally break through for fantasy purposes against the New York Giants in Week 8. Warren dealt with injuries to begin the campaign and started to look more like his explosive self last week. He took the field for over 50% of the Steelers' offensive snaps for the first time in 2024 and saw more opportunities in the passing game than backfield mate Najee Harris with Russell Wilson at quarterback. With this contest shaping up to be a low-scoring, defensive-oriented affair, Pittsburgh should be expected to rely heavily on its ground game against a Giants defense allowing the eighth-most rushing yards per game. We haven't yet seen enough from Warren to consider him a weekly fantasy starter, but he's worth considering as a low-end flex option for fantasy managers in a pinch this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell continued what has been a sensational 2024 campaign in Week 7 and will stay at home this week for a Monday night showdown against the New York Giants. While it is worth noting that the Giants have not surrendered a ton of production to fantasy kickers, and that this contest is expected to be the lowest-scoring bout of the week, there are reasons to be optimistic about Boswell in this matchup. The Steelers are running the ball at the second-highest rate in the NFL and both defenses have done a good job keeping opponents out of the end zone. In what should be a slow-paced duel, Boswell could be called upon often, especially if New York can prevent Pittsburgh from pushing the ball downfield. There are many kickers in more enticing game environments this week, but Boswell has been steady enough to earn a permanent spot in fantasy lineups.

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth has been underwhelming in recent weeks and will look to get back on track against the New York Giants in Week 8. With Russell Wilson under center, Pittsburgh's passing attack was much more exciting last week, but Freiermuth ceded a surprising amount of opportunities to fellow tight end Darnell Washington. The Giants have been stout against opposing tight ends all season, surrendering the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to the position. Because this contest is expected to be slow-paced and Freiermuth seems to have only a few guaranteed targets, it will be difficult for fantasy managers to rely on him as anything more than a TE2 on Monday night.

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens finally got rolling this season with Russell Wilson at quarterback in Week 7 and could continue heating up against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Pickens has been Pittsburgh's clear top option in the passing game all year but his talents seem to align perfectly with Wilson's style of play. Although the Giants have been solid defensively in 2024, Pickens' near-30% team target share keeps him in fantasy WR2 territory. It's worth noting that this contest is expected to be incredibly low-scoring, so while expectations should be managed, Pickens could still certainly end up on the receiving end of a few if not all deep balls from Wilson. Fantasy managers can confidently deploy him as a top-24 option in Week 8.

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant has come alive in recent weeks. Fant has ten receptions in his last two games combined and he has at least 63 receiving yards in both games. He has a chance to deliver numbers like that once again in Week 8 when the Seahawks host the Buffalo Bills. The Seahawks are likely going to hand the ball off quite a bit given the Bills' poor rushing defense. However, the Bills offense is potent and should force the Seahawks to air it out at least a fair amount. Top Seahawks target DK Metcalf (knee) does not look like he will play in this game. The Seahawks are very top-heavy in the wide receiver room and Fant would likely be the next man up in line for targets. He should be a safe play this week, especially in the tight end landscape we currently find ourselves in.